Shoulder-brace



(No Model.)

' M. A. VAN ALSTINE.

SHOULDER BRA'OE.

Patented Nov. 20, 1888..

INVENTOR I ATTORNEYS.

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MATTIE A. VAN ALSTINE, OF ARMSTRONG SPRINGS, ARKANSAS.

SHOULDER-BRACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,130, dated November 20, 1888.

Application filed February 14. 1888. Serial No. 263,955. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MATTIE A. VAN AL- sTINE, of Armstrong Springs, in the county of White and State of Arkansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shoulder- Braces, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention consists in a shoulder-brace of waist or body form and of novel construction, the same embracingvarious novel fea t-ures, substantially as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims, whereby the brace, when applied to the person, is prevented from cutting at the arms and pressure taken away at the armpits, thus avoiding a very common painful effect peculiar to waistshaped shoulder-braces generally, yet effectually restraining a person from growing roundshouldered or counteracting such tendency and holding the head erect and person of the wearer firm and straight without restricting the free action of the lungs and providing a better support to weak backs, as hereinafter set forth.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a view in perspective, as seen from the front, of a shoulderbrace embodying my invention, more particularly adapted to females of full growth. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same as seen from the rear, and Fig. 3 a view of a female with said brace applied. Figs. 4 and 5 show a slightly-modifiedconstruction of the brace to adapt it to a child, and showing the same in front and rear as so applied. Fig. 6 shows a still further modified construction to adapt the brace to a man.

Referring in the first instance, or, more particularly, to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, A indicates the body portion of the brace, made of cloth or any suitable flexible material and generally in the form of a close-fitting covering or waist designed in the case of an adult female to be worn outside of or over the corsets. Itis provided with the usual neck-opening, b, and armholes 0. Applied to said waist A beneath each armpit is an elastic strap, B, the lower end of which is made fast to any suitable attachment that will operate as a holddownas, for instance, to a divided fastening Waist-belt, S, secured to the body or waist A on either side thereof. These elastic straps B serve to take the pressure away from the armpits, each of which may be made with a small gusset, d, to aid in such relief, and by means of these elastic straps cutting around the arms is prevented and a'comfortable feeling to the wearer of the brace secured, instead of that painful and hurtful one which is generally experienced about the arms by those wearing shoulder-braces, the elastic straps B B giving an easy and yielding action.

The waist or body of the brace, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is divided in front and partly from the neck down in the rear and the divided portions secured by a lacing-cord, C, the one cord preferably answering for both back and front by interlacing it through eyelets 0 down the divided portions of the back and fastening or crossing and tying it above, as at f, where the waist is drawn together, then passing it through loops 9, arranged at suitable distances apart around the neck, and subsequently engaging it with fastenings h, of any suitable kind, down the divided portions of the front, where, or at the bottom thereof, the lacing-cord is finally tied. In this way the one cord, which draws and holds the shoulders back, does double duty by securing the brace both in front and rear and holding its neck portion in place.

D D are whalebones or stiffening-strips inserted up either side of the divided front portion of the brace to hold the head erect. Stiffening-strips i i, 7.: k, and Z Z are also applied down the back and obliquely across the back of the shoulder portions of the brace. The stiffening-strips Z Z serve to keep the brace well down over the shoulder-points. Upon either side of the divided front portion the brace is left limber and roomy or broad, as at m m, to give free action for the lungs.

The entire brace, while correcting any tendency of the person to stoop or become roundshouldered and giving a firm straight figure to the wearer, will also form a very comfortable stay and support to a weak back.

In Figs. 4. and 5 the elastic straps B B, which are applied to the body of the brace beneath the armholes to draw pressure from the armpits, as hereinbefore described, are as suitable for a childs shoulder brace, each passed through a casing or guide, a, on the waist or body to keep the strap in place, and divided and constructed below to also form a stockingsupporter, the stockings then forming the hold-down devices for the elastic straps instead of the waist-strap S. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The same stiffening-strips, Z Z, to keep the brace well down across the point of the shoulders, and front stiffening-strips, D D, to assist in holding the head erect, are shown in the childs as in the adults or ladys brace, hereinbefore described, and the general construction otherwise is the same, excepting that the waist is closed in front and buttons down the lower portion of its back. Said waist, if desired, may be used for a drawers-waist as well as a stocking-supporter and brace.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings the shoulder-brace there shown as suited for an adult male is also provided with the elastic straps B B, arranged to take pressure from the armpits c, and provided below with tapes or extensions 1) '0, adapted to button onto the drawers. It also has the stiffening-strips Z Z to keep the brace well down on the shoulders, and is made to lace up the back, but fastens bybuckles and straps in front.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A shoulder-brace consisting of a waist or body, A, having armh oles c, and provided with the stiffening-strips D in front and the stiffening-strips 43 is Z in the back, the strips Z extending obliquely across the back, substantiall y as described.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a shoulder-brace consisting of a waist or body, A, divided in front and partly in back and provided with the stiffening-strips D in front and the stiffening-strips Z R Z in the back, the lacing b, the waistband S, and the elastic straps 13, secured to the waist and body, as set forth.

3. In combination with the waist or body A, made to open in front and rear and provided with loops g around its neck, the lacingcord 0, arranged to engage with the divided portions of the back of the waist, passed through the loops 9 on the neck portion and engaging with the divided waist portions in front, substantially as specified.

MATTIE A. VAN ALST'INE.

Witnesses:

A. A. F. THOMPSON, HENRY F, COLEMAN. 

